Flag of the African Union

African Union


Proportion	2:3
Adopted	31 January 2010^[1]^[2]
Design	A dark green map of the African continent on a white sun, surrounded by a circle of 53 5-pointed gold (yellow) stars, on a dark green field.
Designed by	Yadesa Bojia

The current flag of the African Union was adopted at its 14th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, which took place in Addis Ababa on 31 January 2010.^[1]

During the 8th African Union Summit which took place in Addis Ababa on 29 and 30 January 2007, the Heads of State and Government decided to launch a competition for the selection of a new flag for the Union. They prescribed a green background for the flag symbolising hope of Africa and stars to represent Member States.

Pursuant to this decision, the Muammar Gaddafi-led African Union Commission (AUC) organised a competition for the selection of a new flag for the African Union. The AUC received a total of 106 entries proposed by citizens of 19 African countries and 2 from the Diaspora. The proposals were then examined by a panel of experts put in place by the African Union Commission and selected from the five African regions for short listing according to the main directions given by the Heads of State and Government.

It contains a green background symbolizing hope of Africa and 53 gold stars to represent the Member States. However, South Sudan became the 54th member state on 27 July 2011.

Flag of the African Union.

Previous flag

Former flag of the African Union.

The previous flag of the African Union was composed of a broad green horizontal stripe at the top followed by a narrow band of gold. Below is a broad white stripe bearing the then emblem of the African Union at its centre followed by a narrow gold band and broad green stripe at the bottom.

Although when the AU was formed, a competition was announced for designing a new emblem and flag, the Assembly of the African Union decided at the Addis Ababa session of 2004 to retain the emblem and flag of its predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity, and adopt them as the new AU flag and emblem.

The colour symbolism of the old flag is as follows:

The colour green symbolises African hopes and aspiration to unity.
The colour gold stands for African wealth and bright future.
The colour white represents the purity of Africa's desire to have genuine friends throughout the world.
The colour red (of the rings (in the centre)) stand for African solidarity and the blood shed for the liberation of Africa.

References

African Union (AU)

History

Pan-Africanism Casablanca Group Monrovia Group Abuja Treaty Sirte Declaration Lome Summit

Organisation of African Unity	Chairperson Secretary General

Geography

Organs

Executive Council Permanent Representatives' Committee Specialized Technical Committees

Assembly	Chairperson

Commission	Chairperson Deputy Chairperson AUCC

Pan-African Parliament	Bureau Secretariat Gallagher Estate

African Court of Justice	African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights

ECOSOCC Committees	Peace and Security Political Affairs Infrastructure and Energy Social Affairs and Health HR, Sciences and Technology Trade and Industry Rural Economy and Agriculture Economic Affairs Women and Gender Cross-Cutting Programs

Financial Institutions	African Central Bank African Monetary Fund African Investment Bank

Peace and Security Council	ACIRC African Standby Force Panel of the Wise UNAMID AMIB AMIS AMISOM MISCA

Politics

APRM Foreign relations African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Enlargement

Symbols	Anthem Emblem Flag

Economy

Culture

Theory

Category

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Flag of the African Union

Previous flag

See also

References